Instep-supporter



(No Model.)

J.- HIBBITT. INSTEP SUPPORTBR. .f

No. 425,133. l Patented Apr. 8. 1890.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OEEICE.

JOHN HIBBITT, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

INSTEP-SVUPPORTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 425,133, dated April 8, 1890. Application filed November 18,-1889. Serial 110.330,659. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN IIIBBITT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Instep-Supporters; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to certain improvements in devices to be Worn in shoes, and has for its object the provision of an instep-supporter for bracing and supporting the arch of the foot.

The invention consists of a brace or support to be Worn in a shoe, being formed ot' stiff leather and made to conform to the shape and size of the arch or under instep of the wearer.

The accompanying` drawings illustrate my invention.

Figure 1 is aside elevation of a slice, a part being broken away to show my supporter. Figs. 2 and 3 are transverse sections across the instep, showing the supporter as applied to a shoe when it is being manufactured and as applied to a shoe made previously to the application of the supporter, respectively. Figs. 4 and 5 are detached views of the supporters of Figs. 2 and 3.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the ligures where they occur.

. A is the shoe, and B is the supporter, which is a piece of stiff leather cut out to the shape of a properly-arched foot and to lie upon the side and just under the arch of the foot in what is known as the shank of the shoe. By its use in this position it will be found that such abrace and support are given as will effectually support and aid weak ankles, and that by constant wearing the foot will be shaped into a nice inst-ep or arch.

The supporter may be applied to a shoe in the process of n1anufact-ure,\vlien it will be attached between the vamp and the insole, as shown in Fig. 2, and will be covered by the lining, as also shown in this ligure; or it maybe applied to a shoe already made, when it will be provided with a right-angle iange, as shown in Fig. 5, which is to be secured upon the top of the insole, as shown in Fig. 3.

If the supporter is to be applied to a shoe already made, it will be found preferable to cover it with chamoisiskin, both to give it a finish and to render it comfortable to the foot of the wearer.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

A shoe provided with an instep-supporter made of stiff material shaped to conform to a properly-arched foot, attached to the shoe on the inside of the shank portion and eX- tending from the front of the heel to thev front of the instep, as set forth.

In testimony whereof Iaflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

. JOHN HIBBITT. Witnesses:

HUGH H. HIEEITT, SAML. B. S. BARTH. 

